AMD may have blocked ASRock graphics card sales in Europe

AMD may be blocking all sales of ASRock graphics cards within key territories like Europe, though the exact reasoning for this move is as yet unknown. The ban is said to extend throughout the entire new ASRock “Phantom” range though, with RX 550, 560, 570, and RX 580 cards supposedly banned from sale in Europe.

ASRock’s bread and butter business is motherboards, but it announced in March that it had partnered with AMD to release its own brand of graphics cards, too. Dodging the ongoing controversy of Nvidia’s pseudo-exclusive, and recently shuttered, GeForce Partner Program, ASRock planned to exclusively sell AMD cards instead, but it may not be doing so in Europe.

This story first reared its head in a review of one of ASRock’s RX 580 Phantom Gaming X cards on the German branch of Toms Hardware. While the reviewer praised the hardware, especially considering it is one of ASRock’s first-ever graphics cards, the card was not handed over from a traditional source. Indeed ASRock reportedly inquired as to where it was acquired, as no review samples had been sent to the E.U. region.

In further comments, ASRock confirmed that the cards would only be sold in South America and in Pacific regions, like Russia, Australia, Japan, and the U.S. — though excluding China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. The reasoning for this is said to be “based on the history of mutual channel agreement,” according to the Toms Hardware source.

How acceptable such a ban on sales is with ASRock though, isn’t entirely clear. A number of rumors surround the reasoning, though a Hardware Info source suggests that it could relate to the several AMD-only brands already operating out of Europe and a desire from AMD to see a wider variety of sellers in other regions. However, considering the recent reports of China being excluded from planned sales zones, early rumors suggesting that ASRock was targeting the Asian market seem unfounded.

With new processors and graphics cards for both the 4K and 5K models, the iMac feels like a good option for creatives again. But which should you buy? Here's our guide to choosing the right Apple all-in-one for your needs.

Apple on Tuesday, March 19 refreshed its iMac lineup with new models featuring slightly more powerful Intel processors and new AMD graphics cards. The new 27-inch 5K model comes with options for Intel's six-core or eight-core ninth-gen…

Professionals looking to run intensive applications will be able to push their work a bit further with Apple's latest iMac Pro, which holds 256GB of DD4 ECC RAM for $5,200. Here's why it costs so much to upgrade your iMac Pro to the top.

Coming with the Intel Core i7-8750H processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q graphics, 16GB of RAM, and a 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD, the Legion Y740 one big beast. But priced at under $2,500 how does Lenovo’s Legion stand up against the crowd?

Oculus plans to phase out its flagship Rift VR headset for its newly created Rift S. The Rift S made its debut this week at the 2019 Game Developers Conference and is expected to be released in spring 2019.

Excel documents are used by people and businesses all over the world. Given how often they contain sensitive information, it makes sense to keep them from the wrong eyes. Thankfully, it's easy to secure them with a password.

Compatibility issues between Microsoft Windows and Apple MacOS may have diminished sharply over the years, but that doesn't mean they've completely disappeared. Here's how to make an external drive work between both operating systems.

Whether you’re looking for added protection or a stylish flourish, you’re in the right place for the best MacBook Air cases. We have form-hugging cases, luxurious covers, and padded sleeves priced from $10 to $130. Happy shopping!

Intel teased its new 9th-generation Intel Core i9 processors at GDC 2019. The company offered few specifics about the hardware, but a leak from late February provides insight into what the new processors might offer.

Website errors sometimes cause flight prices to display at way below the correct price. But British Airways recently experienced the opposite issue when it tried to charge a family more than $4 million for a vacation in Mexico.